The family of Abraham Kenneth Ezra Williams, a man with a shellfish allergy who allegedly died after consuming contaminated pesto at a Las Vegas resort, is suing the restaurant for wrongful death. Williams ordered spaghettini with pesto sauce at the Beauty & Essex inside The Cosmopolitan while on vacation in April 2024. Despite informing the restaurant of his shellfish allergy, Williams went into anaphylactic shock after just one bite. Traditional pesto does not contain shellfish, but some store-bought brands can contain traces of anchovies, sardines, tuna, and mussels.
Williams reportedly ran to the bathroom after the allergic reaction, and the Beauty & Essex staff were accused of failing to act quickly to save his life. Friends carried Williams out of the restaurant while attempting to contact emergency services. The lawsuit alleges that Cosmopolitan and Beauty & Essex employees created a barricade around Williams, preventing anyone from performing life-saving techniques. When paramedics arrived, they allegedly did not follow regular procedures for treating anaphylactic shock, leading to Williams’ condition deteriorating further before he arrived at the hospital.
Upon his arrival at the hospital, doctors performed a cricothyrotomy on Williams to establish an open airway since he could not be intubated due to severe swelling in his neck. He was placed on a ventilator but ultimately succumbed to his condition four days later. The lawsuit filed by Williams’ family is demanding a jury trial for the defendants and seeking general and special damages exceeding $15,000, in addition to unspecified punitive damages. Accidental deaths from allergic reactions are not uncommon, with recent cases involving individuals consuming allergens unknowingly, leading to fatal consequences.
In one instance, a New York University doctor died at Walt Disney World Resort after consuming a meal containing dairy and nuts, which she was allergic to. Additionally, a 19-year-old college student from Wisconsin passed away after consuming a gluten-free brownie containing roasted peanut flour. Similarly, a college student in Texas died after consuming a dish with peanut sauce, unaware of the recent addition to the menu. These tragic incidents highlight the importance of proper allergen management in food establishments and the potential severity of allergic reactions if not promptly and properly addressed.
